Breast augmentation and reconstruction through medical procedures has been performed by physicians for decades. Early attempts using filler materials alone, without an enclosing envelope, had less than optimal long-term effects on appearance and health. The use of silicone gel-filled silicone envelopes gave improved long-term appearance but has created concerns for manufacturers, surgeons and patients due to possible leakage of the silicone gel from the envelopes into the body. These concerns had the effect of removing silicone gel-filled breast implants from some markets, such as the United States. Saline-filled breast implants have been used in place of the silicone-filled implants. The use of saline has led to fewer concerns, but saline-filled silicone implants have been reported as having a less natural shape and consistency.
Another issue in the field of breast reconstruction and in the healing of open wounds is the use of tissue expanders. Tissue expanders typically include a bladder or envelope that will hold a liquid such as saline. The expander is placed over a wound, or may be implanted under tissue, such as under the muscles below a surgically removed breast. During use in breast reconstruction, a small amount of saline is added to the envelope periodically until the desired size is reached. By adding liquid slowly over a period of weeks or months, the covering tissue is allowed to expand to accommodate its size. Tissue expanders may also be used to cover an open wound and serve as a platform for the growth of new skin over the wound. Unfortunately, in order to change the volume of the tissue expander a needle must be inserted into the envelope, thus requiring penetration of the tissue and causing pain and an increased possibility of infection.
What would be desirable is a safe, non-toxic, non-antigenic material for use in implants that has a consistency more like that of the original human soft tissue. A further advantage would be an implant that can be implanted using potentially minimally invasive surgical procedures. What would be desirable is a tissue expander that is able to absorb fluid from the patient after implantation so that the expander could reach the desired size without repeated intrusive procedures.